Denver Nuggets Close In on Top Seed With Win Over Golden State As Warriors’ Late Rally Comes Up Short

• The Denver Nuggets defeated the Golden State Warriors on Sunday night
• Jamal Murray delivered on both ends of the floor in the win against the Warriors
• Steph Curry struggled with his outside shot in the loss to the Nuggets

The Denver Nuggets moved closer to clinching the top seed in the Western Conference with a 112-110 victory over the Golden State Warriors on Sunday night.

The Nuggets moved within a game of securing home-court advantage in the West.

A win by the Nuggets in the final four games or a defeat by the Grizzlies will give Denver the No. 1 seed for the first time in the history of the franchise.

Murray seals win with block

Jamal Murray was the hero for the Nuggets in this contest. He scored 26 points in 41 minutes of action, per ESPN. His biggest play, though, came on the defensive end.

NBA Power Rankings: Jaylen Brown leads Boston Celtics to No. 1 spot

NBA

He blocked Klay Thompson’s 3-point attempt in the dying seconds to seal the win for Denver.

Michael Porter Jr. and Aaron Gordon stepped up in the absence of Nikola Jokic, with the two forwards registering double-doubles against the Warriors.

Porter Jr. scored 29 points and grabbed 11 rebounds, while Gordon recorded 13 points and 10 rebounds.

Jokic was sidelined for the third consecutive game due to calf tightness. The injury first emerged in their game against the Milwaukee Bucks on March 25.

According to Denver coach Michael Malone, the tightness lingered in their game against the Philadelphia 76ers on Monday.

Steph Curry struggles in loss

The Nuggets felt Jokic’s absence in their last two games, with Denver losing to New Orleans and Phoenix. They stopped the losing skid against Golden State, thanks to their defense.

Embiid, Harden star in return as Philadelphia 76ers rally past struggling Dallas Mavericks

NBA

They limited Steph Curry to just 21 points. The two-time MVP struggled with his outside shot, missing 12 of his 14 3-point attempts.

It was a costly defeat for the Warriors, who lost for the 30th time on the road. They are now just a half-game ahead of the Los Angeles Lakers and the New Orleans Pelicans for sixth place in the Western Conference standings.

Only the top six teams in each conference are guaranteed a spot in the NBA Playoffs.

Nuggets lose to red-hot Pelicans

Sports Brief recently reported on the Nuggets’ loss to the Pelicans.

Brandon Ingram starred for New Orleans, recording a triple-double against Denver.

He finished with 31 points, 11 rebounds, and 10 assists in the 107-88 win.